The Big West Conference Board of Directors on Monday announced the addition of Cal State Bakersfield and UC San Diego as the 10th and 11th members of the conference.

Cal State Bakersfield will become an official member of the conference on July 1, 2020, and will be immediately eligible in round-robin and single-site championship sports for Big West titles, awards and honors and continue its eligibility for NCAA automatic qualification in these sports.

UCSD will begin an NCAA mandated four-year reclassification period to Division I on July 1, 2020. Its teams will be included in all Big West round-robin sports schedules beginning with the 2020-21 academic year. UCSD will become an official member of the conference on July 1, 2024.

In addition to UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State, the Big West includes UC Santa Barbara, Hawaii, Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo), Cal State Northridge, UC Davis and UC Riverside.

“The addition of these two outstanding universities will further strengthen the Big West’s position as the preeminent NCAA Division I public university conference for the states of California and Hawaii,” Big West commissioner Dennis Farrell said in a statement. “The 2018-19 academic year marks the 50th anniversary of the Big West Conference and this membership development positions the conference to continue growing and thriving for the next 50 years.”

Beginning in 2020-21, Bakersfield will participate in the following Big West championship sports: men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, women’s cross country, women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s track and field, women’s volleyball and beach volleyball. For the past two years, Bakersfield has been a Big West associate member in beach volleyball.

“I believe that this exciting move into the Big West Conference is in the best long-term interests of our athletics program, our university, our alumni, our community, and our Roadrunner fans,” Cal State Bakersfield president Horace Mitchell said. “We are prepared and committed to contribute to the growth and vitality of the Big West Conference and will bring a tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm to the conference.”

Cal State Bakersfield’s athletic programs have recorded significant success in the classroom and in competition in recent years, including seven team conference championships in the past three years, record GPA’s, Graduation Success Rates, and APR scores. Since its move to Division I in 2010, the men’s basketball program has achieved national acclaim with a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2016 and an historic run in the NIT in 2017, becoming the first No. 8 seed to advance to the semifinals.

UCSD will field teams in the following Big West sports: men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field, men’s and women’s volleyball, and women’s water polo. The men’s volleyball team is currently a Big West associate member as the conference begins sponsorship of that sport in 2018.

“We are pleased and honored to accept the Big West Conference invitation to join its ranks,” UCSD chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla said. “We believe that this move will enhance the overall student experience at UC San Diego and heighten our sense of community and school pride. It also demonstrates our commitment to uncompromising excellence across the board.”

Beginning with the 2020-21 season, the eligibility of UCSD’s teams to compete in the Big West’s single-site championship sports during its reclassification period is to be determined. UCSD’s teams will not be eligible for the Big West’s NCAA automatic qualification in single-site championship sports until July 1, 2024.

In addition, the eligibility of UCSD’s teams to compete for regular-season standings and honors in Big West round-robin sports during the reclassification period is also to be determined. During that same period, its teams will not be eligible for the Big West’s NCAA automatic qualification or in any round-robin sport post-season event except in the sports of men’s volleyball and women’s water polo. The women’s water polo team will compete for the conference’s championship beginning on July 1, 2019.

Since moving to Division II for the 2000-01 season, UCSD has finished in the top seven of the Learfield Directors’ Cup standings 12 times and placed second twice. In the overall history of the athletic department, UCSD has won 30 national team championships and 138 individual national championships. The school also has produced 78 Academic All-Americans.

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